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10 Out of this World NASA Spinoff Technologies

What is a spinoff? Great question! A NASA spinoff is a technology, originally developed to meet our mission needs that has been transferred to the public and now provides benefits as a commercial product or service. Basically, we create awesome stuff and then share it with the world. Here’s a list of just a few NASA spinoff technologies (in no particular order): 

1. Enriched Baby Food

While developing life support for Mars missions, NASA-funded researchers discovered a natural source for an omega-3 fatty acid that plays a key role in infant development. The ingredient has since been infused in more than 99% of infant formula on the market and is helping babies worldwide develop healthy brains, eyes and hearts. 

2. Digital Camera Sensors

Whether you take pictures and videos with a DSLR camera, phone or even a GoPro, you’re using NASA technology. The CMOS active pixel sensor in most digital image-capturing devices was invented when we needed to miniaturize cameras for interplanetary missions. 

3. Airplane Wing Designs

Did you know that we’re with you when you fly? Key aerodynamic advances made by our researchers - such as the up-turned ends of wings, called “winglets” - are ubiquitous among modern aircraft and have saved many billions of dollars in fuel costs. 

4. Precision GPS

Uncorrected GPS data can be off by as much as 15 meters thanks to data errors, drift in satellite clocks and interference from Earth’s atmosphere. One of our software packages developed in the 1990s dials in these locations to within centimeters, enabling highly accurate GPS readings anywhere on the planet. One of our most important contributions to modern society, precise GPS is used in everything from personal devices and commercial airplanes to self-driving tractors. 

5. Memory Foam

Possibly the most widely recognized spinoff, memory foam was invented by our researchers looking for ways to keep its test pilots and astronauts comfortable as they experienced extreme acceleration. Today, memory foam cushions beds, chairs, couches, car and motorcycle seats, shoes and even football helmets. 

6. International Search and Rescue System

We pioneered the technology now used internationally for search and rescue operations. When pilots, sailors or other travelers and adventurers are stranded, they can activate a personal locator bacon that uses overhead satellites to relay their call for help and precise location to authorities. 

7. Improvements to Truck Aerodynamics

Nearly every truck on the road has been shaped by NASA - literally. Agency research in vehicle aerodynamic design led to the curves and contours that help modern big rigs cut through the air with less drag. Our contributions to truck design have greatly reduced fuel consumption, perhaps by as much as 6,800 gallons per year for an average vehicle. 

8. Shock Absorbers for Buildings and Bridges

Shock absorbers originally designed to survive the extreme conditions of space shuttle launches are now bracing hundreds of buildings and bridges in earthquake-prone regions all over the world. None of which have suffered even minor damage during an earthquake. 

9. Advanced Water Filtration

We have recently discovered sources of water on the moon and Mars, but even so space is still practically a desert for human explorers, and every drop possible must be recycled and reused. A nanofiber filer devised to purify water in orbit is currently at work on Earth. From devices that supply water to remote villages, to a water bottle that lets hikers and adventurers stay hydrated using streams and lakes, our technology is being utilized. 

10. Invisible Braces

A company working with NASA invented the translucent ceramic that became the first invisible dental braces, which would go on to become one of the best-selling orthodontic products of all time. 

So, now that you know a few of the spinoff technologies that we helped develop, you can look for them throughout your day. Visit our page to learn about more spinoff technologies: https://spinoff.nasa.gov

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com

Dates

{Foods of the Sunnah}

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would break his fast with fresh or dried dates, ajwa dates being his favorite due to their abilities to heal. He would break his fast with an odd number, so we should as well.

Dates are

rich in minerals, which our body cannot supply so we must consume in order to grow and function properly

they improve digestion

contain antioxidants

even aid in our eye sight

reduce labor pains

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said,

“Break your fast by eating dates as it is purifying” [Ahmad]

“Whoever finds dates should break his fast with them and the one who does not should break his fast with water it is pure.” [Ahmad]

“Whoever has seven ajwa dates every morning he will not be harmed on that day by poison or magic.” [Bukhari]

“Ajwa dates are from paradise.” [Muslim]

Allah says:

“Shake the trunk of the palm toward you and fresh, ripe dates will drop down onto you.” (Maryam 19:25)

Update: The New Yahoo Finance

By Michael La Guardia, Senior Director of Product for Sports & Finance

A couple of weeks ago we introduced the world to our new Yahoo Finance page.  As we told you then, our goal is to provide the same quality content our users have come to expect, with cleaner, more modern designs and a focus on increased personalization and community engagement.

At launch, we asked our users to share their thoughts and feedback, so we can continue to iterate and improve our product.  We heard from many of you, and one thing is certain:  Yahoo Finance inspires deep passion and loyalty. We appreciate how vocal the community has been since the redesign - both with pats on the back, some great suggestions, and some frustrations - and we’ve been listening to all of it.  We’ve contacted many of you directly to let you know we’re addressing these concerns, and we’ve made real progress based on your feedback.   

To date we have closed a number of major issues, and dozens of smaller ones.  Here is a quick list of what’s been done so far:   

We’ve addressed many data availability and quality issues.

We added back options data for the S&P VIX ticker.

We added analyst 1 year price targets to the right side of the Key Stats module.

We’re now live updating all standard quote details on the Quote Summary Page.

We are once again showing “Get Quotes for Top 10 Holdings” link for ETF and MutualFund quotes.

We’ve restored our databases and should now have the same level of historical data that we used to have.  We also made it easier to manipulate date ranges for historical data.

All recent SEC filings are available for tickers again.

We’ve added “Yield” back to tables for bonds.

We have made adjustments to the way the site is laid out and how you interact with it.

You can now copy data out of our Historical Data pages and paste it correctly into a spreadsheet.

We increased the density of the data table on the Statistics tab.

When you navigate from one Quote Summary Page to another, we now keep you on the same tab.  For example, if you were looking at Yahoo’s financials and navigated to the Alibaba Quote page, the new page would open on the Financials tab.

We’ve made many headers clickable for direct access to deeper information.

Clicking on an option strike price now shows all options available at that price.

We restored the link to the Currency Converter tool.

We fixed bugs that you pointed out.

The Recently Viewed list no longer gets wiped out.

You can now select MAX time frame on historical data.

Adding a symbol to multi-quote now no longer wipes out the whole list.

Our products are constantly evolving, and we’ll continue to answer your questions and address your concerns.  There is still more to do, including some exciting new features that will be rolling out in the coming months.  You’ll be hearing from us regularly as it happens.  

In the meantime, keep your suggestions and feedback coming. 

me: damn I hate winter GIVE ME SPRING AND SUMMER

spring starts, bugs start coming out

me: take me back to winter

Please fire me. I get in trouble for my “lack of efficiency” but I’m working on an computer that still has a floppy disk drive and runs on Microsoft Windows 2000! It’s 14 years old… Oh, and I get constant alerts of shutting down due to a thermal event. It heats up so bad it sounds like it’s gonna take off.

Software engineering (SE)

is the application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the design, development, operation, and maintenance of software, and the study of these approaches; that is, the application of engineering to software

Human Spatial Memory is Made Up of Numerous Individual Maps

Spatial memory is something we use and need in our everyday lives. Time for morning coffee? We head straight to the kitchen and know where to find the coffee machine and cups. To do this, we require a mental image of our home and its contents. If we didn’t have this information stored in our memory, we would have to search through the entire house every time we needed something. Exactly how this mental processing works is not clear. Do we use one big mental map of all of the objects we have in our home? Or do we have a bunch of small maps instead – perhaps one for each room? Tobias Meilinger and Marianne Strickrodt, cognitive scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, investigated these questions in a research study.

The research is in Cognition. (full access paywall)

me: anime is saved thanks to SGRS

SGRS: season 2 episode 12

me: I was a fool to ever believe

Shoutout to tumblr users without internet friends.

Shoutout to tumblr users who are still trying to figure out aspects of tumblr.

Shoutout to tumblr users who for whatever reason feel excluded from fandoms/other communities.

Shoutout to tumblr users who feel lonely.

Shoutout to tumblr users who feel like everyone else on tumblr is cooler or smarter or better than them.

I’m prayin for us to overcome self-consciousness, shyness, whatever is in our way. You’re not defined by your blog or your online presence. I love you and know you can do anything.